The Childrite Story "The Jonathan Seat"

Creating the CHILDRITE JONATHAN SEAT
I was the first to import the Bumbo Baby Seat to the USA in 2003. While I worked on creating customer awareness and distribution, it came to my attention that the Bumbo was making a name for itself among special needs organizations.

Jonathan's Inspiration
I first heard from Jonathan’s mother, Tammy, who contacted us in 2004 to find out if the Bumbo would work for Jonathan who was seven at the time. When he was four months old he had a reaction to his vaccination shots which resulted in a ruptured aneurysm in his brain. He died in the Life Flight helicopter but was resuscitated. The damage to one hemisphere of his brain left him severely disabled. I suggested she try the Bumbo which she did. She showed his therapist and we began to have regular correspondence about his progress. Unplanned, I finally met Jonathan and Tammy for the first time at a convention in Florida, although we lived about an hour away from each other in Texas we had only corresponded via telephone or email. Jonathan was still able to fit in the Bumbo but was soon going to outgrow it and Tammy expressed her concern and I assured her I would approach Bumbo to make a bigger seat.

Tammy’s testimonial from Bumboseat.com 2004.

Thank you so much for making the Bumbo Seat available in the United States. My friend from South Africa originally mentioned the Bumbo Seat that she had purchased for her special needs child. I did a search and found your company in Texas!!

After reading all the information on your website I finally called and spoke to Mark Buchanan who was so kind to answer my questions. My son is now 7 years old and is severely brain injured. He requires total care around the clock. He is unable to sit, stand, or roll over on his own.

I realize that the Bumbo Seat is designed for infants but it certainly has a special needs application. Since Jonathan is bigger (7 years old and about 40 lbs) we thought we might be able to use the Bumbo Seat during therapy. All Jonathan's therapists loved how it positioned him. One therapist mentioned that she liked how it proximated his hips so beautifully and allowed her to work with him on some trunk control issues. The therapists were also able to work on specific areas of ankles, knees, and hips by having him positioned in the Bumbo.

He is likely going to outgrow it soon since he is growing, but the price was so affordable, we have certainly gotten our money's worth. Please let us know when the company decides to manufacture one for larger children with special needs. I want to be the first one to order it!!

Please feel free to share our story with anyone that might be helped by our experience. You are super and your product is awesome!!

Sincerely,

Tammy Carrington

Mother to Special Needs Child

I were deeply moved by Jonathan and the hundreds of testimonials from parents and therapists we began receiving saying how the seat had helped their child sit, sometimes for the first time ever. I requested that the manufacturer of the Bumbo please develop a bigger seat exclusively for special needs children. They assured us of their best intentions and we waited anxiously.

Years went by despite numerous requests and unfortunately due to the high cost involved and because of other new products they were developing, the manufacturers declined to supply a bigger seat. They knew how passionate I was about helping the children so in January 2006 they gave us their blessing to use the concept of the Bumbo to create our own special needs seat.

Jonathan was my main model for designing the Childrite Seat so I worked with Jonathan’s therapist Brenda and Jason as well as other therapists from hospitals in Texas and the Childrite Seat was “designed”. My biggest challenge was what was the "correct design" as every therapist had their idea of what angles they wanted and what size it should be. Little did I know the long road still ahead of us as I started to try manufacturing the seat in South Africa and after many trips there and lots of disappointment I moved the operation closer to us here in Texas. The main problem was to get the foam to rise high enough and fill the unusual shaped mold without flaws as well as be firm enough to carry the weight. Jonathan received the first “Childrite Jonathan Seat” we made in South Africa in September 2006. Only in April 2008 the Childrite was officially launched in the USA despite numerous attempts with different companies.

The only thing that kept me going was that in 2004 I promised Jonathan that I would make a seat for him and this is why Jonathan doesn’t only have a “Bill” named after him he also has a seat named after him!! “The Childrite Jonathan Seat.”

Most of the time Jonathan is confined to his wheel chair unless someone holds him.

Soft foam seat helps special needs children by providing a therapy chair and a supportive place to sit.Warning - For floor level use only. Never use in a car or bath tub. Never leave child unattended. Seat is not a restraint and is for therapeutic use only.More information